yellowblue The 2000 Chevrolet Impala Owner's Manual 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 6-1 7-1 8-1 Seats and Restraint Systems This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly. It also explains the air bag system. Features and Controls This section explains how to start and operate your vehicle. Comfort Controls and Audio Systems This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort controls and how to operate your audio system. Your Driving and the Road Here you'll find helpful information and tips about the road and how to drive under different conditions. Problems on the Road This section tells you what to do if you have a problem while driving, such as a flat tire or overheated engine, etc. Service and Appearance Care Here the manual tells you how to keep your vehicle running properly and looking good. Maintenance Schedule This section tells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubricants to use. Customer Assistance Information This section tells you how to contact Chevrolet for assistance and how to get service and owner publications. It also gives you information on "Reporting Safety Defects" on page 8-10. 9-1 Index Here's an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this manual. You can use it to quickly find something you want to read. i yellowblue We support voluntary technician certification. GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, CHEVROLET, the CHEVROLET Emblem and the name IMPALA are registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation. This manual includes the latest information at the time it was printed. We reserve the right to make changes in the product after that time without further notice. For vehicles first sold in Canada, substitute the name "General Motors of Canada Limited" for Chevrolet Motor Division whenever it appears in this manual. Please keep this manual in your vehicle, so it will be there if you ever need it when you're on the road. If you sell the vehicle, please leave this manual in it so the new owner can use it. For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a French Language Manual: Aux propriétaires canadiens: Vous pouvez vous procurer un exemplaire de ce guide en français chez votre concessionaire ou au: DGN Marketing Services Ltd. 1577 Meyerside Dr. Mississauga, Ontario L5T 1B9 Litho in U.S.A. Part No. 10421893 A First Edition ECopyright General Motors Corporation 1998 All Rights Reserved ii yellowblue How to Use this Manual Many people read their owner's manual from beginning to end when they first receive their new vehicle. If you do this, it will help you learn about the features and controls for your vehicle. In this manual, you'll find that pictures and words work together to explain things quickly. CAUTION: These mean there is something that could hurt you or other people. In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is. Then we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce the hazard. Please read these cautions. If you don't, you or others could be hurt. Safety Warnings and Symbols You will find a number of safety cautions in this book. We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell you about things that could hurt you if you were to ignore the warning. You will also find a circle with a slash through it in this book. This safety symbol means "Don't," "Don't do this" or "Don't let this happen." iii yellowblue Vehicle Damage Warnings Also, in this book you will find these notices: NOTICE: These mean there is something that could damage your vehicle. In the notice area, we tell you about something that can damage your vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered by your warranty, and it could be costly. But the notice will tell you what to do to help avoid the damage. When you read other manuals, you might see CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in different words. You'll also see warning labels on your vehicle. They use the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE. iv yellowblue Vehicle Symbols These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle. For example, these symbols are used on an original battery: CAUTION POSSIBLE INJURY PROTECT EYES BY SHIELDING CAUSTIC BATTERY ACID COULD CAUSE BURNS AVOID SPARKS OR FLAMES SPARK OR FLAME COULD EXPLODE BATTERY These symbols are important for you and your passengers whenever your vehicle is driven: These symbols have to do with your lamps: MASTER LIGHTING SWITCH These symbols are on some of your controls: WINDSHIELD WIPER These symbols are used on warning and indicator lights: Here are some other symbols you may see: ENGINE COOLANT TEMP WINDSHIELD WASHER BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEM FUSE DOOR LOCK UNLOCK TURN SIGNALS LIGHTER PARKING LAMPS FASTEN SEAT BELTS WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER HORN BRAKE HAZARD WARNING FLASHER POWER WINDOW DAYTIME RUNNING LAMPS REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER COOLANT SPEAKER ENGINE OIL PRESSURE VENTILATING FAN FUEL AIR BAG FOG LAMPS ANTI-LOCK BRAKES v yellowblue NOTES vi yellowblue Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems Here you'll find information about the seats in your vehicle and how to use your safety belts properly. You can also learn about some things you should not do with air bags and safety belts. 1-2 1-8 1-12 1-13 1-13 1-21 1-22 1-22 1-30 Seats and Seat Controls Safety Belts: They're for Everyone Here Are Questions Many People Ask About Safety Belts -- and the Answers How to Wear Safety Belts Properly Driver Position Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy Right Front Passenger Position Air Bag Systems Center Front Passenger Position 1-32 1-36 1-38 1-41 1-52 1-55 1-55 1-55 Rear Seat Passengers Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children and Small Adults Children Child Restraints Larger Children Safety Belt Extender Checking Your Restraint Systems Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash 1- 1-1 yellowblue Seats and Seat Controls This section tells you how to adjust the seats and explains reclining seatbacks and head restraints. Manual Front Seat CAUTION: You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to adjust a manual driver's seat while the vehicle is moving. The sudden movement could startle and confuse you, or make you push a pedal when you don't want to. Adjust the driver's seat only when the vehicle is not moving. Lift the bar under the front of the seat to unlock it. Slide the seat to where you want it and release the bar. Try to move the seat with your body to be sure the seat is locked in place. 1-2 yellowblue 6-Way Power Driver's Seat (If Equipped) Manual Lumbar (If Equipped) This switch is designed to control the movements of your seat cushion. It is located on the left side of the driver's seat cushion. To move the seat forward or rearward, push the switch forward or rearward. To raise or lower the seat, push the switch up or down. To raise or lower the front portion of your seat, push the front of the switch up or down. To raise or lower the rear portion of your seat, push the rear of the switch up or down. The knob that controls this feature is located on the left side of the driver's seat. Turn the knob toward the front of the vehicle to increase lumbar support. Turn the knob toward the rear of the vehicle to decrease lumbar support. 1-3 yellowblue Heated Front Seat (If Equipped) If your vehicle is equipped with this feature, both the driver's and passenger's heated seat switches are on the outboard side of the seat near the front. Press LO to warm the seat to a lower temperature. Press HI to warm the seat to a higher temperature. To turn this feature off, place the switch in the center position. Reclining Front Seatbacks Lift the lever to release the seatback, then move the seatback to where you want it. Release the lever to lock the seatback in place. Pull up on the lever without pushing on the seatback, and the seatback will move forward. 1-4 yellowblue CAUTION: Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is in motion can be dangerous. Even if you buckle up, your safety belts can't do their job when you're reclined like this. The shoulder belt can't do its job because it won't be against your body. Instead, it will be in front of you. In a crash you could go into it, receiving neck or other injuries. The lap belt can't do its job either. In a crash the belt could go up over your abdomen. The belt forces would be there, not at your pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries. For proper protection when the vehicle is in motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit well back in the seat and wear your safety belt properly. But don't have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is moving. 1-5 yellowblue Head Restraints Slide the head restraint up or down so that the top of the restraint is closest to the top of your ears. This position reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash. Split Folding Rear Seat You can fold either side of the seatback down in your vehicle for more cargo space. Make sure the front seat isn't reclined. If it is, the rear seatback won't fold down all the way. To lower the rear seatback, follow these steps: 1. Remove the rear center lap-shoulder belt latch by using a key to press the release button. 2. Pull forward on the seat tab to fold the seat cushion down. This will allow you direct access to the trunk. 3. Fold the seatback down. 1-6 yellowblue To raise the rear seatback, follow these steps: 1. Raise the seatback up and make sure it latches. Push and pull on the seatback to be sure it is locked in position. 2. Reconnect the center safety belt latch plate to the buckle. Make sure the arrow on the safety belt label is pointing to the release button. Push and pull on the latch plate to be sure it is secure. CAUTION: A safety belt that is improperly routed, not properly attached, or twisted won't provide the protection needed in a crash. The person wearing the belt could be seriously injured. After raising the rear seatback, always check to be sure that the safety belts are properly routed and attached, and are not twisted. 1-7 yellowblue Safety Belts: They're for Everyone This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts properly. It also tells you some things you should not do with safety belts. And it explains the air bag system. CAUTION: It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area, inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people riding in these areas are more likely to be seriously injured or killed. Do not allow people to ride in any area of your vehicle that is not equipped with seats and safety belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and using a safety belt properly. CAUTION: Don't let anyone ride where he or she can't wear a safety belt properly. If you are in a crash and you're not wearing a safety belt, your injuries can be much worse. You can hit things inside the vehicle or be ejected from it. You can be seriously injured or killed. In the same crash, you might not be if you are buckled up. Always fasten your safety belt, and check that your passengers' belts are fastened properly too. Your vehicle has a light that comes on as a reminder to buckle up. (See "Safety Belt Reminder Light" in the Index.) In most states and Canadian provinces, the law says to wear safety belts. Here's why: They work. 1-8 yellowblue You never know if you'll be in a crash. If you do have a crash, you don't know if it will be a bad one. A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so serious that even buckled up a person wouldn't survive. But most crashes are in between. In many of them, people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk away. Without belts they could have been badly hurt or killed. After more than 30 years of safety belts in vehicles, the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does matter ... a lot! Why Safety Belts Work When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as it goes. Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it's just a seat on wheels. 1-9 yellowblue Put someone on it. Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider doesn't stop. 1-10 yellowblue The person keeps going until stopped by something. In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield ... or the instrument panel ... 1-11 yellowblue Here Are Questions Many People Ask About Safety Belts -- and the Answers Q: Won't I be trapped in the vehicle after an accident if I'm wearing a safety belt? A: You could be -- whether you're wearing a safety belt or not. But you can unbuckle a safety belt, even if you're upside down. And your chance of being conscious during and after an accident, so you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater if you are belted. If my vehicle has air bags, why should I have to wear safety belts? Air bags are in many vehicles today and will be in most of them in the future. But they are supplemental systems only; so they work with safety belts -- not instead of them. Every air bag system ever offered for sale has required the use of safety belts. Even if you're in a vehicle that has air bags, you still have to buckle u ...